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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25738933">Irresistible Force Paradox</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/an_aphorism/pseuds/an_aphorism'>an_aphorism</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aftercare, Bad BDSM Etiquette, Corporal Punishment, Crying, Dom Shiro (Voltron), Extremely Dubious Consent, M/M, Post-Naxzela, Pre-Kerberos Mission, Spanking, Subspace, bratty keith, sort of love confession</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:19:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,081</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25738933</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/an_aphorism/pseuds/an_aphorism</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Keith knows that having Shiro plea with the officers on his behalf is a distinctly unpleasant experience. The entire thing, in fact, is unpleasant, from the fight with what’s-his-face, to getting dragged in and threatened with expulsion.</p><p>Not that Keith isn’t grateful. He’s very grateful. Sitting outside the office now and hearing them go back and forth, Keith can tell the tide is turning, and that Shiro himself is making that happen. Shiro not only got him into the Garrison, but is now going to save his ass.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Shiro (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>465</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Pre-Kerberos Mission</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tags for: underage as set in pre-kerberos, but Keith's age is not specified. dubcon for spanking without consent, Keith fights a little but does likes it. tagged for violence for the spanking, it hurts but Keith is in no way permanently damaged.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keith knows that having Shiro plea with the officers on his behalf is a distinctly unpleasant experience. The entire thing, in fact, is unpleasant, from the fight with what’s-his-face, to getting dragged in and threatened with expulsion.</p><p>Not that Keith isn’t grateful. He’s <em>very</em> grateful. Sitting outside the office now and hearing them go back and forth, Keith can tell the tide is turning, and that Shiro himself is making that happen. Shiro not only got him into the Garrison, but is now going to save his ass.</p><p>It’s still unpleasant to listen to. The leadership has never cared much for Keith, and it’s more than obvious now. Still, Shiro is winning. Shiro, the Garrison's Golden Boy, is using his stocked up credits and winning. For Keith.</p><p>By the time it’s finished, and Shiro’s footsteps are heading toward him, Keith doesn’t know how to feel. Angry. Embarrassed. Grateful.</p><p>Ashamed.</p><p>“Hey,” Shiro says coming out of the room.</p><p>“Look, I know I messed up. You should just send me back to the home already.” The words slip out of Keith immediately, pained. He wants to beat Shiro to the punch, to say the words before they can be said to him. Take some of the power out of their sting. “This place isn’t for me.”</p><p>Keith’s never gotten the things he’s wanted out of life, so why should now be any different?</p><p>“Keith,” Shiro’s voice is softened, and Keith can feel his eyes on him even though he doesn’t dare look. “You can do this. I will never give up on you.” He pauses then, but Keith stubbornly keeps staring straight ahead. “But more importantly, you can’t give up on yourself.”</p><p>And that…</p><p>Keith feels it wriggle right up under his rib cage, and clench on his heart. His brows lift, and he finds himself turning to look at Shiro. Shiro’s smile is wonderful, his expression open. He gestures for Keith to stand. Keith’s does, and Shiro’s heavy hand lands on his back. Shiro leads him away.</p><p>“With that said,” Shiro says when they’re almost to Keith’s dorm, “don’t make me do that again, okay Keith?”</p><p>It’s not said unkindly, not at all, but Keith still feels it like a closing barb. Having Garrison officers mad at him is whatever, but feeling Shiro’s hand guiding him away with an air of disappointment is… something else. Something heavier.</p><p>“Okay,” Keith says against the lump in his throat.</p><p>##</p><p>Keith tries to stay on the straight and narrow after that, he really does. He does all his school work, stays the hell away from James, and only sneaks out when it’s with Shiro.</p><p>But he’s not made of stone. The officers still have it out for him, and the cadets are not much better.</p><p>That’s how Keith finds himself a little over a month later, out after hours with a container holding one six inch garter snake. It’s a harmless little thing, and won’t really hurt cadet Turner, it’s intended only to scare him. Keith’s just going to slip it into the boy’s room as repayment for all the nasty rumors he’s been spreading about Keith.</p><p>One snake for another.</p><p>But he doesn’t time it right, or the night rounds have been changed, because just as Keith is coming to the hallway that has Turner's dorm, there’s an officer. Before Keith can think to backtrack, the man spots him.</p><p>“Kogane!”</p><p>It’s a bad sign that the man knows his name. Worse when he grabs Keith’s arm and the bag off his shoulder.</p><p>“And what’re we doing out after curfew?” There are a few excuses Keith could try, but he’s resigned at this point. The man won’t believe him, likely doesn’t care what the excuse is.</p><p>Then, sure enough before Keith can even get a word out, the man is unzipping his bag. Keith has to look away. There’s a gasp when he sees the snake in the holed Tupperware container.</p><p>“What the fuck is this cadet?”</p><p>This is expulsion for sure. After all that Shiro did last time, all the goodwill he spent, it won’t be enough to save Keith from this. Keith cringes to think of that aspect, how disappointed Shiro will be. <em>Fuck</em>.</p><p>“I found it in my room, I was going to release it outside,” Keith tries. He has to try, for Shiro.</p><p>The man makes a sound of derision, and his grasp on Keith’s arm tightens. “Tell it to the Captain.” He puts Keith’s bag over his shoulder, and starts to drag Keith away.</p><p>“What’s going on here?” Comes a voice. A familiar one.</p><p>Keith’s heart jumps, and then immediately falls.</p><p>“Nothing that concerns you Shirogane,” the man says.</p><p>But Shiro walks right up to them, giving the situation a once over. “Keith’s my responsibility.”</p><p>The man laughs, but it’s not a kind one. “I think this is a little out of your jurisdiction, cadet.”</p><p>“Lieutenant,” Shiro corrects.</p><p>The man scoffs, and Keith feels himself bristle on Shiro’s behalf. “Just because you’re some over-hyped flyboy, doesn’t mean I take orders from you—“</p><p>“Excuse you,” Shiro says, now frowning.</p><p>“And personally I don’t think you’re the best person to be influencing such young minds,” the man shakes Keith a little, “We’ve all heard the rumors about how you got to such a coveted position so quickly. On your knees wasn’t it—“</p><p>Keith doesn’t know he’s going to do it before he does, but one moment he’s standing there, and the next he’s swung for the officer. The only thing that saves him is how fast Shiro is. He snatches the back of Keith’s shirt and hauls him backwards and out of reach. Keith’s fist hits only air.</p><p>They all stand there in shock for a moment, but then Keith is at Shiro’s side, and Shiro is moving forward, toward the man. Shiro is taller than the officer, broader, and for the first time the officer looks afraid.</p><p>“If you have a problem with me, I’d be happy to take it to management.” Shiro leans in to say it, his voice dark and serious.</p><p>“He swung on an officer!” The man hisses back. “I’ll see him expelled!”</p><p>Shiro pulls back then, and has Keith’s bag in hand. “You won’t, but we can certainly discuss this incident in the morning. Lorner, was it? Heard the rumors about you too. Interesting how you always volunteer for the patrols in the young cadet buildings. Like to throw your power around a little, hm?”</p><p>The man flushes hard at that, backing up.</p><p>But Shiro isn’t about to let him get any more words in. “C’mon Keith, let’s get you back to your room.”</p><p>And then Shiro’s hand is on his back, and he’s leading Keith away. Lorner doesn’t say anything more, and they make their escape without further harassment.</p><p>“Look,” Keith tries the second they’re alone in the hallway.</p><p>Shiro sighs. “Do I even want to know,” his voice is stiff, still that same Lieutenant voice he used on Lorner.</p><p>Keith flushes, the anger that had banked coming back full force. He pulls away from Shiro.</p><p>“I know, okay! Stay out of trouble blah, blah, blah, but Turner has been—”</p><p>“Stop,” Shiro says. “I don’t care what Turner did. What were you going to do? What’s in the bag?”</p><p>Keith grimaces. “It’s just… a harmless snake.”</p><p>“A harmless snake,” Shiro looks disapproving. “And?”</p><p>“And maybe I was gonna put it in Turner's room, but it wouldn’t have hurt him! No one would have even known it was me!”</p><p>“Except you got caught,” Shiro says. They’re nearing Keith’s room now, and Keith can feel that vibrating anger from Shiro. “And swung on an officer.”</p><p>“He was an asshole! Those things he said about—“</p><p>“Stop,” Shiro clips, voice brooking no further argument. “Code in your door.”</p><p>Keith turns and puts in his code, it opens. Shiro half pushes, half shoves him firmly inside. Even after the door shuts Shiro doesn’t let go. In fact, he guides Keith over to the only sit-able furniture in his bedroom: the bed.</p><p>“Shiro,” Keith says helplessly. He doesn’t know what he needs to say, but he knows it’s something. The tension is racking up, and Keith can feel Shiro’s radiating disappointment. </p><p>“Remember what I said last time?” Shiro says, taking a seat beside him.</p><p>Keith shrugs, looking away.</p><p>A heavy hand lands on Keith’s thigh. “Keith.”</p><p>The pure disapproval digs into him and unearths the words from last time. <em>Don’t make me do that again, </em>Shiro had said<em>.</em> It had been the one sliver that had gotten up under Keith’s skin and stuck.</p><p>The words are now a wound, an opening in which Keith hasn’t been able to guard against. They hurt, then, now. Keith pushes that down, pushing away the shame and letting anger bubble up in its place. He doesn’t want to be some disciplinary case, some kid that Shiro feels like he has to keep in line. Just the idea of it disgusts him, that maybe to Shiro Keith's nothing but an annoying kid—</p><p>Keith stands, seething. “What?!” He snaps. “Am I not supposed to defend myself? Those guys are fucking bullies—“</p><p>“Keith,” the tone is acidic with warning.</p><p>“But you wouldn’t know anything about that. You don’t know what it’s like for me, you’re the fucking Golden Boy!” It spills out of Keith, hot on his tongue and unstoppable now that it’s started. “So why don’t you just drop me back at the fucking home already, then you won’t have to deal with—“</p><p>Keith’s pacing is arrested by a hand clamping over Keith’s wrist.</p><p>“That’s <em>enough</em>.”</p><p>He’s serious, but Keith’s too wound up to stop now. “Oh is it?” He hisses in Shiro’s face. “Have I finally got to the end of your <em>patience yields focus</em> bullshit?!” His teeth click on the last word, and he tries to yank his wrist away.</p><p>Shiro is stone. “Are you done?”</p><p>His impassive expression only serves to incite Keith further. “Fuck you!” He shouts, yanking at his hand again. “Let me go!”</p><p>“Keith.”</p><p>Since pulling doesn’t work, Keith steps forward instead, stalking right into Shiro’s space with his best eat-shit glare. He bends down into Shiro’s face and meets his steely expression. He knows he shouldn't, but he's too full of rage to swallow the words. “Fuck you," Keith annunciates slowly, and with as much vitriol as he can manage, "and your charity <em>bullshit</em>."</p><p>It lands like a undetonated bomb.There’s a moment of nothing, of Shiro looking right back at him, gaze uncomfortably placid.</p><p>And then something… <em>shifts</em>.</p><p>Keith doesn’t know how to explain it, but one moment Shiro’s face isn’t giving him anything, and the next it’s all cracked apart.</p><p>Beneath it is <em>anger</em>.</p><p>“Fine,” Shiro says, hand tightening around Keith’s wrist. “You want to be childish about this? We can do that.”</p><p>Shiro’s other hand grabs Keith’s hip then and moves him back. Before Keith can even properly startle, Shiro then pulls him inexorably down by wrist and hip. It trips Keith up, and he falls very ungracefully into Shiro with a grunt of pain. Shiro expects it, and doesn’t let go. Instead he manhandles Keith, and before Keith even registers what’s happening, he’s face down over Shiro’s lap.</p><p>“What the hell!” He squawks, pushing his face up out of his sheets.</p><p>But Shiro isn’t finished. One arm lays heavy against Keith’s shoulder blades and presses down. Keith folds immediately.</p><p>“I thought we could have a conversation,” Shiro says, voice dark. “But if you want to do it this way first, so be it.”</p><p>Keith opens his mouth to spit more curses, but before they can get out, Shiro hits him.</p><p>
  <em>Spanks him.</em>
</p><p>A whuff of air and surprise sound escapes Keith. Another strikes come quick on the back of the first. It’s enough force that Keith feels the sting even through clothing. He shifts unconsciously.</p><p>“Wha—?”</p><p>A third and fourth strike right across his ass. “What? Is this not what you wanted?”</p><p>Shiro hits him again and again. They don’t all land in the same area, but some do and there the sensation begins to build. What started as more shocking than anything, quickly turns into stinging and then pain.</p><p>“Shiro!”</p><p>“You wanted to throw a tantrum,” Shiro states, “You wanted to act like a child, this is what you get.”</p><p>He spanks him again and again, the pain of it sharp but sinking into him more and more each time. Keith grunts, tries to squirm away, but the hand on his back pushes down hard. He ends up just sort of shifting a little forward on Shiro’s lap.</p><p>The next strike comes red hot, and it reverberates through his body. Keith becomes aware all at once that he’s half hard in his pants. He grits his teeth against the shame that douses him. “Fuck you,” he sneers at Shiro to cover his own embarrassment.</p><p>The next hit is harder. Keith makes a cry that is distinctly not distress, before he grabs the sheets and muffles himself. His cock <em>throbs</em>, and he knows it shouldn’t, know he shouldn’t be turned on by this, but that only makes it worse.</p><p>“I didn’t want it to be like this,” Shiro says. His voice is low and deadly, and even that is starting to do things to Keith. “I’ve tried to get through to you in every way I could think. You know I believe in you, you know I think you’re great.”</p><p>Hit after hit comes, and Keith’s ass is on fire now. Every moment drags his hard cock against the constricted space of his jeans and Shiro’s lap. Keith doesn’t know if Shiro can feel it, if Shiro knows, but surely it’s only a matter of time. His cries come with every spank now, and it’s all Keith can do to keep them pressed into the sheets so Shiro doesn’t hear him lewdly moan.</p><p>“But this behavior is just not okay. I can do a lot, Keith, but you have to want this. You have to want to be here.”</p><p>It’s hard to tell if the spanks are coming with more force now, or if Keith’s just too sensitized. He squeezes his eyes shut, whole body throbbing. It hurts, and it feels good, and it’s all twisting up inside him. Even Shiro’s calm but stern way in which he details Keith’s wrongs is messing him up, stoking the pleasure roiling inside him.</p><p>Shiro’s always been ridiculously hot, but Keith’s spent a good amount of brain power trying not to notice. Shiro’s older and his mentor, so it’s not a thing. Will never <em>be</em> a thing.</p><p>But Keith can’t seem to get his brain to listen. Every strike just tears down his walls further and further, and Keith can feel his self-control slipping. The pleasure is heady and still building, the pain making it into something Keith can’t fight against.</p><p>Doesn’t want to.</p><p>The next hit is harder still, or maybe Keith just feels it deeper. His cock scrapes against Shiro’s thigh, his hips moving with the shock. It feels stunning, hot and electric and Keith keens into the sheets.</p><p>“Have you had enough?” Shiro’s voice is above him, dripping dark promise. A hand lands on Keith’s ass but doesn’t hit, just presses into the screaming nerves.</p><p>Keith can’t think, can only grind his hips forward. Some distant part of him knows that what he does next will determine the fall of the scales, but Keith can barely hear it over the pulsing heat of his body, the quivering anticipation of his orgasm. The sheer need he has to get there.</p><p>He turns his head out of the sheets, eyes teary, but determined. “No.”</p><p>There’s a grated, growling sound from Shiro that raises hairs on the back of Keith’s neck. Before he can brace himself, the hand on his ass has lifted, and the next spank is searingly hard. Like a bolt of electricity that shocks through him. Keith makes some noise that he doesn’t quite bury, and his cock is shoved against Shiro’s thigh.</p><p>“Always have to go right to the edge, don’t you?” Shiro snarls, hitting him again and again. “Always have to be some unstoppable force, and push at everyone until they leave.” His hand comes over and over, agonizingly hard, and Keith’s lost. The pain rips into him, and he feels his mind tugged away, soaring above him. It’s a high he doesn’t have a name for. It’s awful and blissful, and he cries out, unable to contain the feeling within him. “But I’m not going anywhere,” Shiro says, “I’m the immovable object.”</p><p>And that’s when Keith <em>breaks</em>.</p><p>There’s a hit right on the worst part of his ass, and Keith screams. His cock fucks into Shiro’s thigh, and then he’s coming and coming. It’s obliterating, intense in a way no other orgasm has ever been. He throbs in the jeans, spilling against the stiff fabric. He moans, forlorn, body jerking and squirming without him as it chases the pleasure.</p><p>The heavy arm on his back lessens, becomes a petting hand that slides soothingly down his back.</p><p>Keith frots against Shiro’s firm thigh, moaning and whining. He empties of all thoughts and sensations, swallowed by the pleasure. It’s good, <em>so good</em>, eclipsing all else.</p><p>When he stops coming he collapses down into Shiro’s care. The man shifts carefully to keep Keith supported.</p><p>“O-okay,” Shiro is saying. His voice is far away but soft, sweet. “That’s it, just… it’s okay.” The hand strokes down Keith’s back, avoiding his ass. It’s nice, so nice.</p><p>Keith sighs into the sheets, drifts.</p><p>Time slides by, slow and easy. Keith doesn’t try to do anything with it. There’s a fuzzy pain in his body, and he’s not eager to feel all of it again. He likes the halfway point he’s at, the pleasure like a warm stone in his belly keeping him down.</p><p>He drifts and drifts. Shiro keeps talking, speaking a soothing nothingness, and Keith doesn’t try to latch on to any of it. He’s safe and okay, Shiro tells him so. He lets Keith catch his breath and then settle slowly, one bit at a time back, into his body.</p><p>After a long time, Keith begins to become aware. There’s a pillow under his head, sheets beneath him. The smell of them is familiar: his bed. It’s evening, but his lamp is on, the glow beyond his closed eyelids is a soft yellow.</p><p>A hand is carding itself gingerly through his hair.</p><p>The pieces of that fold back together leisurely. Keith remembers the fight, goading Shiro on, and then—</p><p>What had started as discipline definitely hadn’t ended there. With a more conscious mind he sifts back through the memory.</p><p>Shiro—</p><p>Shiro <em>knows</em>.</p><p>There’s no way around it. Keith had unambiguously gotten off on it.</p><p>And Shiro had—</p><p>Keith cracks an eye open to be immediately met with Shiro’s jeans. The man is sitting beside him on the bed, leaned up against the headboard. He notices Keith’s awareness at once.</p><p>“Hey, Keith.”</p><p>Keith’s still not all himself, and his thoughts swim a bit as he tries to think of what to say.</p><p>“It’s okay,” Shiro says, his hands push a strand of hair behind Keith’s ear. “Everything’s okay.</p><p>“But I—“ Keith’s voice is a croak.</p><p>Shiro hums. “How’re you feeling?”</p><p>Heat flushes Keith’s cheeks at the answer that comes to mind. He knows he should feel chided, that was literally the point of the discipline, but he doesn’t. “Strange,” he answers instead, a half-truth.</p><p>“I feel like I should apologize. I… I was trying to get through to you. I didn’t meant to— I didn’t think it through. Didn’t think at all. Have I hurt you?” Shiro’s voice is level and calm, and it takes any sting there might be from the words.</p><p>“No,” Keith says, then decides to offer up the shameful truth. “I feel good.”</p><p>Shiro’s eyes flicker away, and he swallows hard. Keith watches his Adam’s apple bob.</p><p>Then, “I’m sorry for the snake,” Keith says, because it seems important then to say it. “For trying to hit Lorner. For what I said to you.”</p><p>“Okay,” Shiro says, raking fingers through Keith’s hair. “I forgive you. I’m sorry for—“</p><p>“Don’t.”</p><p>Keith doesn’t want it to sound petulant, but it kind of does. It’s just a sudden and all-encompassing feeling inside him. He doesn’t want Shiro to apologize for what just happened, to feel ashamed. Keith knows that the feeling would instantly soak down into his own bones, and hurt. Even just the thought of that makes him quiver.</p><p>“Oh, hey, shhh, it’s okay.” Shiro strokes down further to his back. “I won’t. I won’t. You feel good, okay. That’s good. That’s what I want.”</p><p>A quietness descends then. The rest of Keith’s mind comes back to him as they rest there, and he becomes aware of the growing ache of his ass, the stickiness in his pants. He needs to do something about both, but it’s so hard to conjure the energy. He knows that this liminal space they're in right now is something delicate. That if he tries to get up it could shatter, and then they might have to talk about what just happened. Shiro is trying very hard not speaking directly on what occured, and Keith doesn’t blame him.</p><p>What just happened was inappropriate, wildly inappropriate. Even accidentally.</p><p>It’s something that should mean an end to their friendship. Keith can just imagine the self-righteous attitude of how Shiro would frame it. He would make a big speech about how he’d wronged Keith. Took advantage. <em>Hurt</em> him.</p><p>But Keith doesn’t feel hurt. He doesn't even feel upset. He feels settled. There’s pain, yes, pain growing louder by the minute, but it feels well earned. It feels like when he goes hard on the mat and the next day all his muscles positively ache. It's good, and he doesn't want Shiro to apologize for it. He doesn't want Shiro to end their friendship over it. </p><p>So Keith lets himself take the easy way out. He closes his eyes, and when the exhaustion reaches up for him, he lets it.</p><p>##</p><p>Hours and hours later Keith wakes in his bed. It’s dark and quiet. He voice commands the lights on to find his room otherwise empty. On the nightstand is a glass of water, a snack, and some pain patches. Keith reaches behind himself and finds two more stuck to his lower back. That explains why he was able to sleep as long as he had.</p><p>He gets himself up slowly, groaning. He should immediately tend to his situation, but instead he goes and finds his datapad in his bag by the door where he dropped it earlier. The Tupperware and reptile are notably missing from the bag. On the screen is a message from Shiro—</p><p>
  <em>Thought it best to let you rest. Took care of Lorner and your snake friend, I expect we won’t have any more problems of that sort in the future. Let me know when you’re up, dinners on me tomorrow. :)</em>
</p><p>It’s a simple message, saying a lot or a little depending on how one wants to read it. Keith focuses on the smiley face at the end, on the fact that Shiro messaged him at all.</p><p>He walks gingerly to his shower then, feeling calmer than he’s felt in months. He knows with an unshakeable certainty then that it’s going to be okay. It’s all going to be okay. Shiro’s message means they haven’t ruined their friendship. Tomorrow they’ll have dinner, and maybe Keith will still be staggeringly sore, but it’ll be okay. They’ll talk around it, pretend it didn’t happen.</p><p>Fine. Good.</p><p>Going forward Keith will keep his nose clean, or try harder to. There’s a new weight to that responsibility, the kind that’s been quite literally bruised into his skin. Shiro wants him here, wants—</p><p>He remembers Shiro’s voice, how hard and certain it had sounded when he said, <em>but I’m not going anywhere. </em>It makes Keith smile to himself. <em><br/>
</em></p><p>In the bathroom Keith pulls down his pants to see the bruising. It’s red, stark against his paler skin there, but looking at it now, Keith doubts it will bruise too much. It will hurt, absolutely, but it won’t leave a lasting mark. Maybe next ti—</p><p><em>No</em>.</p><p>He tears his thoughts and gaze away from that. He feels himself wanting to look and look in the mirror, to preen at the redness in his skin. He feels a strange pride of having gotten it from Shiro, of taking that punishment.</p><p>But that’s not a thing. That can never be a thing. Shiro is Shiro and Keith is… a cadet. <em>Too young.</em></p><p>Best not to think on it.</p><p>Keith goes to the shower and turns it on, ignoring the pleasure still humming away inside him. He promises himself he won’t think on it, dream upon it, or fantasize upon it. What happened was a one time thing, an accident.</p><p>It won’t happen again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It definitely won't happen again.... chapter two who?</p><p>I'm @an_aphorism on twitter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Post-Naxzela Attack</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tags for: dubcon, but less than the first. this one is a harder spanking, but the chapter is overall softer. discussion of keith's attempt to self-sacrifice</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They’ve barely had time to breathe from the Naxzela situation, so when Matt opens up a chat channel to Shiro and tells him what Keith’s done— almost done— Shiro sees red.</p><p>Keith’s still technically on his Blades assignment, technically isn’t even with Voltron, but Shiro doesn’t care. He simply turns Black around and heads out for the nearby ship he knows Keith is piloting.</p><p>“Shiro?” Comes Keith’s confused voice over the coms when Shiro is close enough to be requesting docking. Shiro only pings again, physically unable to get any words out through the anger clogging his throat.</p><p>To think that Keith would even <em>consider</em>—</p><p>It’s unthinkable. Unbelievable.</p><p>And he clearly wasn’t going to tell Shiro. If Matt hadn’t been on coms with him, seeing him do it, Shiro just knows Keith would have never bothered to bring it up. Maybe that’s what worst of all. The sheer carelessness that Keith has for himself. How easily he looks at a dire situation and volunteers himself to lay down on the metaphorical bomb.</p><p>
  <em>Or literal bomb. </em>
</p><p>Shiro stalks toward the join of their ship, then crosses into Keith’s ship. Keith slips into view in that sleek Blades uniform, a question on his face. Shiro doesn’t stop though. He fists that skin tight fabric, slamming Keith back against the wall of the ship. He sees Keith’s expression turn to shock.</p><p>Following that is a pained look of knowing. A look that means he knows <em>exactly</em> why Shiro’s here and why he's angry.</p><p>Shiro’s teeth grit against each other savagely.</p><p>“Matt told you,” Keith says.</p><p>“He did,” Shiro’s voice sounds foreign even to himself, and Keith’s brows go up at the harsh tone.</p><p>“Shiro, I had to—“</p><p>Both of his hands are on Keith then, pulling him forward just to slam him against the wall in barely contained anger.</p><p>“Shut up,” He snarls. His self-control is stretched spider-web thin, and any moment it could snap. The anger is spiraling up, hot on the tail of all the unused adrenaline from earlier. He feels incandescent about it, vibrating in his skin. What Keith’s done, tried to do, is utterly <em>unacceptable</em> and—</p><p>It reminds Shiro of the last time he felt a fraction of this sort of anger toward Keith. The only other time that Keith pushed himself over the line, and Shiro took it upon himself to reign the man back in.</p><p>That now feels like child’s play, the crime committed so small Shiro can’t even imagine it bothering him at this point. It was so long ago now that there isn’t a reason to remember it at all, except the punishment he had doled out had been… effective. It had been—</p><p>Shiro latches on to the idea because he hasn’t the patience left to think of anything better. He can’t hold this emotion inside him for much longer, can’t deal with this in the calm, collected manner he should. Keith was going to ram his ship into a barrier. Keith was going—</p><p>That level of carelessness incites Shiro. It makes him want to meet Keith halfway in the madness. Meet him and then grind his own disapproval into Keith’s skin so that he never forgets. This can never, ever be a thought in Keith’s head. Shiro was lucky this time, so, so lucky. But next time he could not be.</p><p>And Shiro would rather have Keith angry with him than have Keith not in this world. Shiro can’t do this war, this life, without him.</p><p>Keith opens his mouth, but Shiro’s hands squeeze menacingly where they’re gripping him. He doesn’t want to hear Keith’s excuses, and at this point he doesn’t even want an apology. Shiro knows Keith, and so he knows with a horrible certainty that Keith would only do an apology lip service. Keith doesn’t understand the weight of what he’s done, what could have happened if he had—</p><p>Keith doesn’t understand how that would break something in Shiro that could not be fixed. How an action like that by him would ruin Shiro in some unspeakable way, <em>forever</em>.</p><p>Shiro has to make him understand.</p><p>One hand drops to Keith’s wrist and latches on, and then he drags Keith back and onto Black. Keith sputters, trying to pull away, but Shiro is like stone. He is motivated by the tide of acrid anger washing over him, and Keith has little in the way of fighting it.</p><p>They end up in the bedroom in Black, because of course they do. Because Shiro knows what he needs to do, knows what they both need to salvage this situation, and it must be done here. Shiro drops Keith’s hand once in the bedroom, but only to take his hands to the zip on the back of Keith’s suit.</p><p>“What?” Keith’s hands come up in alarm as the zipper pulls down and fabric begins to immediately loosen. “Shiro!”</p><p>“No,” Shiro clips, and is satisfied how just the one word makes Keith’s arms drop, the fight cut right out of him. The zipper stops at his lower back, and the suit is shucked easily from Keith’s arms. “I got through to you once when you needed it most,” Shiro says. He leans down and tugs Keith’s bodysuit down his legs. It’s utilitarian, and Keith at once balances a hand on Shiro’s shoulder to step out of the suit. “It seems you need it again.”</p><p>When he rights himself, Keith is nude. He doesn’t try to hide himself, but neither does Shiro look. In another time this would be… something, but Shiro’s too full with anger now to connect. All he can see is the task before him.</p><p>Shiro steps back and sits down on the bed, then pats his thigh. He’s out of the hard armor, just wearing the sleek undersuit, but he knows the breadth of his thighs looks anything but comfy. He knows that Keith knows just what’s coming.</p><p>The man’s cheeks are ruddy as he looks as Shiro. He crosses his arms defensively. “Shiro.”</p><p>“Now, Keith.”</p><p>Each word is like a landslide, like lava hot in his mouth. The tension between them is so suddenly heavy it’s almost hard to breathe.</p><p>Keith comes closer, tentative. He thinks on it for just a moment, and then Shiro can see the moment he decides to give in. He lays himself awkwardly across Shiro’s lap.</p><p>It should soothe Shiro, the compliance, but it doesn’t. If anything it incites him further to see all of Keith’s skin on display. He has scars already, bruises, and it only serves to remind Shiro of just how fragile he is. Just how human. In the grand scheme of a war, it would take so little to snuff out a human, so little and Keith’s life would be over. A blink, really.</p><p>Shiro drags a heavy hand down his spine and to his ass.  </p><p>“Why don’t you tell me what you think you did wrong,” Shiro says.</p><p>He touches Keith casually, running over the swell of his ass, then back up his spine. He keeps it heavy, a presence that reminds Keith of his place.</p><p>But seconds go by and Keith doesn’t speak. Shiro frowns, and then at once raises his human hand and brings it down on Keith’s ass.</p><p>The man jerks, making a huff of sound, but otherwise contains the reaction.</p><p>“You remember how this went last time? Best not to test me. <em>Answer</em>.” He hits Keith again in the same spot.</p><p>There’s a tighter control this time, nearly no reaction. Then, “Apparently what I did <em>wrong</em> was try to save Voltron, a planet, the—“</p><p>Shiro’s hand comes down again, cutting him off. “You were trying,” Shiro says, “In the absolute stupidest way possible.”</p><p>“Fuck—“ Shiro hits him again. “Fuck you!” Keith still spits.</p><p>The next two spanks come one after the other. His ass is just beginning to pinken beneath Shiro’s hands.</p><p>“No. You see what you tried to do was thoughtless, arrogant, and stupid.” Shiro marks each other those words with a strike. “You could have run your ship right into that barrier and it wouldn’t have done anything. You know this because I know this. You aren’t that foolish.”</p><p>“I had to!”</p><p>“Did you? Says who?”</p><p>“You— Voltron was in danger! The whole planet was in danger.”</p><p>“And would throwing your life away on a useless gamble have changed that?”</p><p>“I had to do something!”</p><p>Shiro scoffs and then hits him twice. “Something, he says. Interesting how the something that came to mind was self-sacrifice.”</p><p>“Oh, like you’re one to talk,” Keith snarls.</p><p>For that he gets a hard smack right across the bottom of his ass. It stings in Shiro’s palm, and the man yelps, hands tightening in the sheets.</p><p>“This is not about me right now, you’re the one—“</p><p>“Hypocrite,” Keith says.</p><p>He gets another smack, harder. This one has Keith’s whole body jerking. Shiro sees his hands clutching at the sheets, working through the pain. It pleases the dark thing inside him. It pleases him to see the red starting across Keith’s ass. After this, for days even, Keith will feel it. He will feel it and remember this.</p><p>“You’re part of a team now,” Shiro says. He spanks him again in the same area to drive the point home. “I’ve never done something so careless when people were depending on me. We need you Keith, we need you whole for Voltron.”</p><p>There’s a caught sound, something harsh, and Shiro only catches it from the stiffness suddenly in Keith’s body. Shiro rubs a possessive hand across Keith’s hot skin. He feels electric with the control.</p><p>“I don’t even know what you were thinking.”</p><p>When there’s no answer he strikes him again twice. Keith pulls at the sheets, his body shifting. There’s a low, mournful sound. It prickles up the back of Shiro’s neck and he has to swallow hard.They go back and forth like this for a while, with Shiro touching, then hitting, and Keith trying not to show how it's affecting him. </p><p>“Hm?” Shiro asks after one delicious sound gets out. He drags his hand up Keith’s spine and then down, nearly raking his nails across the tender skin. Keith cries out.</p><p>“I—“ Keith bites the words off.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>A huff of breath, then Keith only presses his face down into the sheets to hide.</p><p>“What? No defenses left?” Shiro sounds smug, mean. He can’t stop it.</p><p>“Sh—“</p><p>Shiro hits him again, then again. His hand is starting to sting, but each one drags such an amazing sound out of Keith. That tension is still growing, and Shiro wants to see where it’s going. He wants something he doesn’t yet have a name for, but he knows it’s coming.</p><p>They’re feeding each other. Shiro hits him and Keith squirms, mewls. Shiro can’t look away, his eyes soaking up every little detail. Keith’s ass is getting truly red now, and from the sounds it definitely hurts.</p><p>“Speak up,” Shiro taunts. He spanks him once, then twice.</p><p>“Ah—I—“ There’s a low curse, and that’s when Shiro realizes they’re sort of moving together. It’s a slow rock on Keith’s part, grinding against Shiro’s thigh.</p><p>He’s hard.</p><p><em>Fuck</em>.</p><p>There is no way that Shiro didn’t know this would happen. After last time—</p><p>He can’t think about last time. It was wrong to do it back then, wrong to like it.</p><p>Wrong to think about it later.</p><p>And yet.</p><p>Shiro hits him again.</p><p>“Tell me.”</p><p>Keith gasps at the next hit, the sound quivers. “I can’t.”</p><p>“You can.” Shiro hits him lower, just at the round bottom of Keith’s ass. He knows it hurts as Keith makes a broken sound. His hips press hard against Shiro’s thigh, and Shiro shifts a little to make it easier.</p><p>The next thrust must be good, because Keith moans, half muffled into the sheets. Shiro takes a breath. The anger is still in him, but it’s shifting imperceptibly. He spanks the bottom of Keith’s ass twice more, then grabs at him, helping the grinding movement.</p><p>“You can,” Shiro says again. He doesn’t know what he means anymore, but Keith knows. Keith is always right there with him. He grinds, squirms, makes needy sounds he tries to hide in the sheets. Shiro can feel his own cock pressed against the fabric of his pants. There’s a heat in his core, the anger simmering and twisting into a new shape.</p><p>He palms Keith’s ass, squeezes on the redness to make it hurt. Keith moans, ruts against his thigh.</p><p>“You can’t do that ever again,” Shiro says, voice deep. “We— I can’t lose you.”</p><p>“I— had,” Keith gasps at a pinch on his tender skin. “Had to. Couldn’t…”</p><p>Keith moans as Shiro digs his blunt nails in.</p><p>“Had to?”</p><p>Keith is still grinding, and Shiro keeps him moving. He’s wound tight, so close to <em>something</em>, and Shiro needs to get there. He knows inexplicably it’s what they both need.</p><p>“I—“ There’s a breath, a needy sound. Then, “Hit me.”</p><p>It’s said so softly Shiro almost misses it. His hand lifts automatically and comes down hard.</p><p>There’s a curse from Keith, then, “again.”</p><p>Shiro does. Over and over as Keith cries and fucks against his thigh and asks for more. Watching him is devastating. He’s beautiful like this, falling apart under Shiro’s hand. It’s everything Shiro’s ever wanted but never knew to ask for. He feels his cock pulse at how turned on he is, but he needs to focus. He hits Keith until the red has bloomed dark and dangerous looking.</p><p>Keith’s breathing is shallow and wavering, but he’s still moving in Shiro’s lap.</p><p>“I—“ This comes wet sounding. Keith takes a deep breath. “I had to do it,” he heaves out. “I couldn’t— I couldn’t watch you die. Shiro—“</p><p>Keith's breath catches on a whine. He doesn’t say it, but inexplicably Shiro knows what he needs. Shiro raises his hand and spanks Keith hard, one after the other in quick succession. Keith shrieks, body bowing tight and then he's rutting hard against Shiro. Shiro’s hand comes down to squeeze again at his red skin and there’s a sob, a moan, and then Keith <em>breaks</em>.</p><p>He comes against Shiro’s thigh with sharp cries, his whole body nearly shaking. Wetness soaks through the fabric of Shiro's pants as Keith works his way through it. They’re huge, heaving sounds that come out of Keith's mouth, and Shiro can feel inside his own chest.</p><p>“—That’s it,” Shiro catches himself saying. “That’s it baby. It’s okay, just let go.” His free hand smooths circles on Keith’s back, gentling him. His burning palm moves off Keith’s ass.</p><p>“Sh—“</p><p>“I know,” Shiro says. “I know. You did good, you did so good. It’s okay, it’s all okay now.”</p><p>Keith winds down slowly, hips eventually stilling. He’s sweaty and breathing raggedly, and Shiro is struck by just how strong and amazing Keith is in this moment.</p><p>Keith’s hand unclenches from the sheets and reaches for him. That’s Shiro’s cue to carefully help him up.</p><p>The movement is painful, that’s obvious. Keith hisses, but Shiro lifts where he can to be gentle. He ends up putting Keith on his lap, facing him, but spreads his legs so Keith’s ass isn’t touching anything.</p><p>Shiro gets a look at his face then, blotchy and wet with tears. His hair is a riotous mess.</p><p>He’s <em>stunning</em>.</p><p>Keith easily falls then into his embrace. Shiro tightens arms around him, bowing his head to breathe into the hot space of Keith’s neck.</p><p>“Shiro,” Keith says against his skin.</p><p>Shiro’s hand rubs up and down Keith’s back. He stays gentle but firm, focusing just on sensation and on calming Keith down.</p><p>“I know baby. I know. That was very hard, but you did it. Thank you for telling me, thank you for letting me.”</p><p>Because Shiro can see it all now, this thing between them that’s spilled out all over this space. Keith’s always been a wildfire, burning through anyone and anything that got too close. But not Shiro. Never Shiro. Shiro could wade into that fire and take it in hand, could stifle it down until it didn’t destroy. Until it could be wielded purposefully.</p><p>He knows before that it was the same. Back at the Garrison Keith had needed someone to contain him, to structure him. Maybe it had been wrong in a lot of ways because of his age and Shiro’s position, but it had also worked. It had given them both something they hadn’t known they needed.</p><p>It’s the same now. Something has settled in Shiro, and he can feel it likewise in Keith. Keith’s near boneless in his lap, crying all but stopped. He needed this just as Shiro needed this. They—</p><p>They care for each other.</p><p>It shouldn’t be such a striking thought, but in that moment it is. It’s a kind of care that’s not just friendship, and not just sex. It’s <em>more</em>.</p><p>It’s care that deals with pain, with the struggles they both have. Keith's let him take that pain to skin where it could be released, he's allowed the burden to be split between them. There’s a kind of intimacy in this care that Shiro doesn’t have words for, but can feel acutely. Keith trusts him, loves him.</p><p>
  <em>Keith would have died for him. </em>
</p><p>Shiro might have suspected as much, but to hear it out of Keith’s mouth shakes him to his core. It’s a heavy knowledge, a terrifying responsibility. Shiro would never say he’s purposefully reckless, but he is a leader. He is the person to lie down on top of the grenade if it came down to it.</p><p>Knowing that Keith would do the same for him shades it all in new light. He feels afraid then of the war in a way he's never been. There's so much fighting they have still to do. If he loses his own life… well he won’t be around to mourn it.</p><p>But Keith—</p><p>He squeezes Keith again, assuring himself of the man’s solid weight. Keith sighs, gripping him back. They stay that way a while longer before Keith nuzzles at his throat.</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>“You’re forgiven,” Shiro says immediately. </p><p>There’s a hum from Keith and then another gap of silence.</p><p>“So what now?” Keith eventually asks.</p><p>It’s a vague enough question that it could mean anything. What should they physically do now? What are they to each other now? What are they going to do about the war?</p><p>One of those Shiro figures is easier than the rest to answer. It’s the one he can give an honest answer to.</p><p>“Now I would like to stay the night, I would like to hold you. Is that okay?”</p><p>Keith nods against his shoulder.</p><p>“So we should probably go get cleaned up, put something on your soreness. Maybe something to eat and drink.”</p><p>“O-oh!” Keith’s head pops up. “Did you… uh.” His gaze slants away, shy but pretending not to be. His hand gestures vaguely.</p><p>Shiro’s cock is still a bit hard, but to be honest he hasn’t even been thinking about it. Everything in him was tuned toward Keith, to pushing him to the break and then gentling him back down.</p><p>“No,” Shiro says. “But that wasn’t really my focus.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>It’s a softer oh. An uncertain one if Shiro has any accuracy in reading Keith’s tone. Shiro takes a breath and decides to go for it.</p><p>“But that’s something we could do later. Uh. Maybe after some food and sleep. If that’s… something you’re interested in. But we could also just do this. I liked this. I think it helped.”</p><p>Keith’s eyes come back to his. He’s still red-eyed from the crying, but Shiro thinks he looks exquisite. “I think it helped too,” Keith looks down again, a smile curling his lips. “And yes, to later.”</p><p>Something fluttery expands in Shiro’s chest, and he finds himself smiling as well. The anger and frustration have gone, and he feels cleansed. New.</p><p>“Great,” he says. Then he can’t help himself and leans forward to press a kiss to Keith’s cheek.</p><p>Instantly Keith’s head ducks back into his shoulder. Hands clench tight around him.</p><p>And who knew beneath all of that teeth and claws there was this, a soft and sort of shy Keith?</p><p>##</p><p>Eventually Shiro rallies them to get up. He takes Keith to the bathroom and sets him up. He isn’t sure if he should offer to stay with Keith as he showers, but the man seems to pick up on it and waves him off.</p><p>Instead, Shiro spends the time whipping together some sandwiches, filling water bottles, and popping into the medical supplies area to pick out some things. He takes it all back to the bedroom, and when Keith comes out in soft pajama pants, hair wet, Shiro delegates he lie on his belly on the bed.</p><p>Keith goes easily, and Shiro checks with him before gently pulling the pants down. The skin there is red and painful looking, even as Keith tries to downplay it.</p><p>“Hush, me fussing is part of the deal,” Shiro says. He takes the cream from the medical supplies and pours some into his hands.</p><p>It’s a careful application then. Keith tries hard to keep the sounds in, but Shiro can tell from the tight lines in Keith’s back and shoulders that he’s feeling it. He does his best to smooth the cream over his ass, focusing on the spots with the deepest coloring.</p><p>It will smart surely for days to come, but also this cream is Galra medicine, and Shiro has had first-hand experience with how well it works on bruising. By tomorrow it should at least be tolerable, and Keith will be able to pilot.</p><p>“Better?” Shiro asks when he’s finished and is fixing Keith’s clothing.</p><p>Keith only sighs against the sheets.</p><p>“Good. But you can’t sleep yet. I made food.”</p><p>This gets a groan and Keith’s eyes opening to look up at him balefully.</p><p>“Nonnegotiable,” Shiro says.</p><p>“Fine,” another sigh, this one more put upon. Keith pushes himself up onto his elbow.</p><p>Shiro gets the plate of sandwiches and places them on the bed between them. They eat in silence, starting slow but quickly scarfing down the lot. When all the food is done, Shiro hands him the water bottle.</p><p>“I guess I was hungry,” Keith says.</p><p>Shiro laughs and then takes a swallow of his own water. “Same. You don’t realize with the adrenaline.”</p><p>When they’ve both emptied the waters, Shiro puts everything back on the bedside table.</p><p>“Will you think I’m gross if I don’t go brush my teeth?” This is followed by a yawn. “Tired.”</p><p>Shiro’s hand pets over Keith’s hair. “No, but you must get under blankets.”</p><p>There’s some shuffling then to get Keith situated on his side, before Shiro excuses himself to the bathroom. He does some cleaning in there and takes off the undersuit. He could go back to his ship for a new set of clothes, but he’s feeling likewise tired. He goes back to the bed in just his underwear.</p><p>Keith’s smile when he slides in under the covers is a sleepy sliver. Shiro wants to kiss it.</p><p>“Good?” He asks instead.</p><p>Keith hums pleasantly. “And later?”</p><p>“Still on the table.”</p><p>Keith smiles.</p><p>Shiro voice commands the lights off and then settles in. Beneath the blankets, Keith’s hand finds his and their fingers slot together.</p><p><em>Later</em>.</p><p>He can’t wait.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>EDIT-- now with some amazing art by slouph: <a href="https://twitter.com/slouph_art/status/1312538030104698881?s=20">here</a></p><p>And much later they got properly fucky. But also just imagine Keith being a brat in the future to get a spanking. You know he would.</p><p>Apologies for the delay in this part 2, school really came for me. Comments fuel my getting through these last two semesters. </p><p>I'm on twitter as @an_aphorism where I write about boys getting fucky.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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